Hvetshran
The Hvetshran or the Hvetshran species is a race of demonic creatures whose most important feature is their reptilic nature. They are mostly carnivorous, can be active at both day and night and live in clans. Name meaning The word Hvetshran come from a contraction of the words hvec (the Hvetshran species) and jran (person, people). Depending on the transcription, it is alternatively also spelled hvetxran, hvechran or hveqran. However, because of common usage, the old transcription is usually kept. Evolution and biological classification Evolution The evolutionary research of Hvetshran is still at its beginning stage, as hvetshranologists have little solid evidence to base any theories on. Apart from a lack of bones and other traces of Hvetshran of a previous era, the issue of where in the taxonomical tree Hvetshran are is still hugely debated. Taxonomy The Hvetshran species is taxonomically classified under the kingdom of Animalia. under the phylum of Chordata. As they don't lay eggs, most hvetshranologists further classify them under Mammalia, under Primates and under Hominidae like humans. Other hvetshranologists opt for a classification under Reptilia. Accurate taxonomy is hard, as the total group of hvetshranologists or even demonologists is far smaller than the group of biologists. Amongst them, there is an ongoing discussion about whether demons and creatures with seemingly unnatural abilities are supposed to have a classification amongst the normal one, or if they require a separate but parallel taxonomical tree. Anatomy and physiology The most remarkable features of the Hvetshran species are their scaled skin, the spikes over most of their spine, and their tail. Like vampires, they also have rather pointy teeth because of a different diet than the human species. Their body height is also over a dozen centimetres or half a feet taller, which is less noticeable due to their usual crouched position. Most peopleAt least 80% of the known population can change to a human form. of the Hvetshran species can change to human form. This change is however only limited to the skin and partially retreating the spikes into the spine. A prolonged stay in this form may however cause the tail not to grow back after winter. Culture Language The entire Hvetshran species uses the same language, Hvetshrenu, over their entire territory, with some variations in usage depending on for instance social status, gender, clan and region. Hvetshrenu is not only a spoken language, as body language plays its role as well. Apart from Hvetshrenu, the language Khujmül is what Hvetshran use. This is an adaptation of the local languages used in the original Hvetshran habitat, such as Slovakian and Polish, mostly copied into Hvetshrenu sentence structures. The grammar has mostly been simplified. Hvetshran do not write down either of the two mentioned languages. They have only basic written – carved or imprinted – communication, for for instance numbers or when they need to mark a location on a longer trip. Religiosity Hvetshran are not religious in the strict sense of the word, but they are strongly related to the transcendent world. Most of them believe in ghosts, spirits and transcendent creatures. However, some urban Hvetshran that saw the chance of actually blending into human society, have been converted to human religions as well, mostly – since Hvetshran habitat is mostly European-based – catholic or protestant Christian. Notes Category:Basics Category:WIP